Fsu Women Are Goal-oriented

TALLAHASSEE - For the longest time in women's college basketball, it was almost a principle of the universe: Top five teams only lose to one another.

That maxim changed somewhat in the 1990s.

But Florida State Coach Sue Semrau is taking some solace in fifth-ranked Purdue's home upset of then-No. 1 Tennessee last week.

No. 3 Louisiana Tech, one of the most well-regarded programs in women's history, comes to Tallahassee-Leon County Civic Center tonight for a season opener.

Guess which outcome came up this week?

``When you're striving to be the best, an opportunity to play the best is something you look forward to,'' Semrau said. ``Anytime someone like this comes to your home court, you have to feel that's an opportunity to see how good you are, see how well you can compete.''

FSU (1-0) will find out. The Lady Techsters (0-0) are the highest-ranked team to play at FSU since No. 1 Virginia in 1992.

The Seminoles' weakness inside matches Louisiana Tech's strength, and the Lady Techsters aren't known for taking pity on undersized or outmatched opponents.

Last season's national runners-up returned four starters, headed by 6-foot forward Amanda Wilson, and added one of the country's top freshmen classes.

The Seminoles counter with solid forwards Latavia Coleman and Brooke Wyckoff and a freshman guard, April Traylor, who started her career last week with a team-leading 23 points in a 76-67 win at Tulsa.

``We have some plans of things we want to do to counteract things,'' Semrau said. ``You can't just key on their inside game because they've got great guards. They have the ability to score from any position on any given night.''